Stateways

StateWays - November/December 2016

StateWays is the only magazine exclusively covering the control state system within the beverage alcohol industry, with annual updates from liquor control commissions and alcohol control boards and yearly fiscal reporting from control jurisdictions

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w w w.BevInfoGroup.com Sustainability Guide 2016• Beverage Information Group 17 Spirits producers have been shaving grams off their bottles to make lighter, less-expensive and better containers. Bacardi, for example, plans to reduce the weight of its packaging 10% by 2017, 15% by 2022. McCormick's 360 Vodka touts its unique swing-top closure; the bottle is designed for reuse by consumers or for rebottling. The bottle is made of 50% recycled glass and labels are printed on recycled paper using eco-friendly inks. For each swing-top bottle returned, the company donates $1 to local charities and eco-friendly organizations. Diageo's global 2020 goals include reducing total packaging by 15%, while increasing recycled content to 45% and making 100% of packaging recyclable. "We are also working to sustainably source all of our paper and board packaging to ensure zero net deforestation," says Harris. In North America, the company is working to eliminate PVC from packaging. The goal is to be PVC- free by December 2017. One packaging innovation is the edible six-pack ring set debuted recently by Saltwater Brewery. Made from reprocessed spent grains, the can holders are 100% biodegradable. And, according to brewer Peter Agardy, they won't pose a hazard to seabirds and marine mammals. GETTING THE WORD OUT Just as important as these sustainable initiatives, it is critical to get the word out to consumers. "We share our Good Spirited stories through our corporate website and brand and corporate social media channels, as well as via our brand events," says Torruella at Bacardi. "From the responses we receive on our various initiatives, we know consumers care. Protecting our natural environment is everyone's responsibility." "Consumer expectations about sustainability and corporate responsibility are increasing," says Christenson at BIER. "It is more important than ever to tell your story and be more credible with consumers." THOMAS HENRY STRENK is a Brooklyn-based freelance writer with over 20 years experience covering the beverage and restaurant industries. ECO STRATEGIES A t Patrón, environmental sustainability is a daily focus, particularly in the brand's production process. At the Hacienda Patrón, nestled in the Highlands of the Jalisco region of Mexico where Patrón tequila is distilled and bottled, the company adheres to strict practices to help limit the environmental impact of production. All tequila production processes create a leftover distillate, or "stillage," by-product. Rather than discard this, one of the initiatives that Patrón has developed is a reverse osmosis system that recovers up to 70 percent usable water from the stillage. This recovered water is then used in the facilities' cooling towers, and for cleaning. The remaining stillage (up to 30 percent) is used to treat Patrón's compost area. Tequila of course is distilled from the native Weber Blue Agave plant, but not every part of this desert succulent is used in the distillation process. Instead of disposing of this leftover agave as waste, Patrón takes this agave tissue, or "bagasse," and mixes it with the remaining concentrated stillage to create compost. This compost is then used to grow crops in the Hacienda's organic vegetable garden, helping provide food for Hacienda staff and visitors. The compost is also used to fertilize the agave fi elds and is given free to the town to use in area recreational fi elds and other gardens and land areas. { Advertorial } production. All tequila production processes create to 30 percent) is used to treat compost is then used to grow crops in the Patrón's reverse osmosis process.

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